1. (last week: 1) QB Austin Reed, Renegades
Last Week: 13-27, 144 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 3 rushes, 41 yards
Season: 79-133 (59.4%), 907 yards, 11 TD, 2 INT; 10 rushes, 51 yards (5.1 avg.)
After being head-and-shoulders above the competition the first two weeks, Reed has come down to earth in his two games against Columbus. Dallas's passing game looked completely out of sorts on Thursday, and some credit should go to the Aviators and defensive coordinator Captain Munnerlyn. But there were some missed routes by Reed and timing issues that largely were absent earlier in the season. What keeps Reed at number one is his still-sparkling TD/INT ratio, his league-leading passing yards, and the fact that Dallas remains near the top of the league standings. Something to watch: Reed uncorked a 41-yard run, showing a heretofore unseen dimension of his game. We'll see if Dallas leans a little more on that moving forward. Reed and the Renegades will get some much-needed rest before they host Louisville on Sunday afternoon.
2. (3) QB Jack Plummer, Storm
Last Week: 17-27, 182 yards, 1 TD
Season: 73-106 (68.9%), 7 TD, 1 INT; 15 rushes, 87 yards (4.9 avg.)
You could make a case for Plummer over Reed at number one here: Plummer has fewer turnovers, a higher completion percentage and has led his team to an undefeated record at this point in the season. Ranking the top few was not the slam dunk it had been the first three weeks. Plummer was without his top wideout, K.J. Hamler, but Cam Camper filled in admirably after being inactive each game to this point. The fact that Plummer could trust Camper with the second-most targets on the team against the Stallions speaks to Plummer's leadership. Like Reed, Plummer made an unlikely scamper of length, his covering 34 yards. Orlando wasn't an offensive juggernaut this weekend, which was more a grind-it-out victory that isn't reflected with gaudy stats. Wins are the most important statistic for teams, however. You can bet head coach Anthony Becht will have his team extra hyped as they play Becht's old team, the St. Louis Battlehawks, in Orlando on Saturday night.
3. (2) RB Deon Jackson, Defenders
Last Week: 7 carries, 20 yards (2.9 avg.); 4 receptions, 5 yards
Season: 40 carries, 244 yards (6.1 avg.), 5 TD; 7 receptions, 32 yards (4.6 avg.)
It was not a banner week for MVP candidates across the board. Jackson struggled to get untracked versus a sound St. Louis defensive front that owned the Defenders in the first matchup in week one. While D.C. was able to slow down the Battlehawks pass rush in the second meeting, D.C. backs failed to find running room. QB Jordan Ta'amu did the most damage with 11 carries for 61 yards, both numbers that led the team. Jackson was a dump-off option with four catches, turning those into a paltry five yards. D.C. has Birmingham next on the schedule in a Friday night tilt, facing a Stallions team that just lost two of its interior defensive line starters. The Defenders may find success running up the middle in that matchup.
4. (4) WR Tyler Vaughns, Renegades
Last Week: 5 receptions, 59 yards (11.8 avg.)
Season: 28 receptions, 390 yards (13.9 avg.), 4 TD
Dallas's offense never found a rhythm against Columbus, either due to a short week of prep, their own defense's inability to get off the field for long stretches, or both. That hampered the passing game most of all. Still, Vaughns ate up a full one-third of the passing targets, hauling in five catches and piling up 49 yards after the catch. He matched his reception total from the previous week against the Aviators, beating the yardage total. With a veteran head coach and offensive coordinator, I don't see the Renegades staying in the muck. Louisville can get after the QB, so the quick game may be of benefit in week five.
5. (NR) DE Cam Gill, Kings
Last Week: 8 tackles (5 solo), 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 1 FF
Season: 21 tackles (12 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 FF
The first defensive player to appear on this list since week one, and the first Kings player, Gill has developed into the most consistent pass rusher in the league. He is the UFL leader in sacks by 1.5 and also leads in tackles for loss. Gill is not a one-trick pony, as he's just outside the top 20 in total tackles, indicating his penchant for sticking his nose into the run game as well. He racked up two sacks against Houston on Thursday night and led the team in total tackles, unusual for an edge rusher. Louisville has a difficult draw against Dallas this weekend and its vertical passing game. Despite the offensive output, Dallas's line has not been a strong unit this year.